If we continue to ignore the social and ethical consequences of our policies to achieve quick economic growth, we may end up turning the country into a moral wasteland, says Rajyogi Brahmakumar Nikunj Ji

It’s a known fact that during the last two decades, the agriculture sector across the Indian sub-continent has witnessed crisis in the form of decline in rate of growth, rising numbers of farmer’s suicides, declining prices of several crops, and a widening gap between the agriculture and non-agriculture sectors.

It can thus be said that the indian agriculture sector is experiencing unprecedented crisis with stagnation or declining rural employment growth and as a result, food security and employment opportunities for the rural poor have been eroded. Various studies done by research scientists and scholars over a period of time reveal that poverty remains the most common reason for suicides in the country.

As per a report tabled by NCRB in 2015, India reported 5,650 farmer suicides, whereas the highest number of farmer suicides were recorded in 2004 when 18,241 farmers committed suicide as per official figures. In view of these statistics, it becomes clear what havoc skyrocketing prices would have played in the lives of not only farmers but all those who had already been struggling each day to make both ends meet, those who are being pushed to the edge every day because they have hardly any means to live. In addition to this, increase in prices of fuel, essential commodities, and a steep hike in the cost of food grains and vegetables, have made living conditions for the common man unbearable, making him pay through the nose. And still, there seems little hope that the situation would roll back to normal. The repercussions of these are serious. While many are driven to take the extreme step out of despair as stated above, there are others who take to illegal means to make their living. In a crisis situation like the one whole world is facing right now, which has outlived the public’s patience span, morality is the first casualty. So, while in the offices, corruption tends to increase robberies and murders, incidents of chain snatchings, auto-thefts become the order of the day. This is the bitter truth of today.

Even though many NGO’s are working to improve the lot of the destitute and create employment opportunities for them so that they can earn a living by honest means. But it is not completely possible for these voluntary groups to wipe out poverty and unemployment on their own and their hard efforts will continue to be an uphill struggle as long as the government does not zealously implement pro-poor policies. Ascending prices are always complemented with a sharp decline in the morality levels of the citizens and a surge in the crime graph of the country. As always, it is the poor, the weak and the marginalised sections, including the women and senior citizens, who become soft targets of crime. When taxes are increased, it is fixed income group which bears most of the brunt. The so-called creamy layer — those who amass most of the wealth — often manage to avoid the taxes and pay the minimum they can, by manipulations. In such a situation, the bulk of population is sandwiched between too little income and too many payments. And seeing the rich get away easy, morality to them becomes nothing more than a burden to be shed. It is another thing that there always have been some people who want to take short cuts or bypass the law to make a quick buck, but many are forced into unethical practices by unaffordable cost of living. Hence, the policy makers and the movers and shakers of the country’s economy, who dream of making India a global power in the 21st century should very well remember that great nations are built on the foundations of a strong character.

So, if we still continue to ignore the social and ethical consequences of our policies in order to achieve quick economic growth, we may end up turning the country into a moral wasteland where some people have more wealth but nobody has any contentment, security, peace of mind or true and lasting happiness.